


with you now (no worries about tomorrow),

by Raging_Nerd



Series: riju's adventures in zora's domain (and other things), [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gerudo Town, Heart-to-Heart, How Do I Tag, I Love You, Light Angst, Plans For The Future, Post-Calamity Ganon, Rare Pairings, building this ship with my bare hands, i acc dont know lmao, i might've gotten the ages wrong, it's been a while hello there, let my babies be babies, this has been in my wips forever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25690411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raging_Nerd/pseuds/Raging_Nerd
Summary: Riju's brows furrowed as her gaze fell to the hand that rested on hers, face pinched in thought as she mumbled. "Sidon, I'm afraid I don't understand," she said, looking up at him in confusion.The prince chuckled bitterly, meeting her gaze sadly."I am going to outlive you, Riju."---or, the author was feeling angsty so she wrote some angst.
Relationships: Riju/Prince Sidon (Legend of Zelda)
Series: riju's adventures in zora's domain (and other things), [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650220
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	with you now (no worries about tomorrow),

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in my wips since March, what the heck XD

Things were… easiest when she was with Sidon.

There were no rules, no crown that needed to be worn, no chest that needed to be held high. There were no advisors looming over her shoulders, and no pressing matters that needed to be attended to. 

And here inside Vah Naboris, Riju was free from it all, safe by Sidon’s side as he stared in childlike wonder at the view before him. They sat at the opening atop Naboris’ neck, and Riju kept her hand on the prince’s arm to ensure he didn’t stretch too far. His mouth was moving in silent mumblings as he observed the ground moving underneath him, and Riju did not ignore the chuckle that left him every time her Divine Beast lifted its hefty leg.

He turned to her, his smile making his sharp teeth visible. “This is incredible, Riju!” He exclaimed, using a hand to gesture in front of him. “Vah Ruta is stationary, not nearly as amazing as your walking Beast here,” he remarked, his smile broadening. “And this view…”

His voice faded out then, and Riju hummed, tapping her finger against his arm. 

“Her movement gives me a constant view of the world around me, although… mastering her electric mechanisms still seems to be something I cannot yet achieve,” Riju said, turning to look at him. His amber eyes met her green ones, and the chieftain almost found her breath lost to her as her chest seemed to constrict in her chest. She broke his gaze, looking at her hands. The prince was silent before he spoke again.

“I believe that you will get better with time,” Sidon said quietly, voice dropping an octave as he spoke to her. Riju felt her cheeks heat when Sidon took her chin in his hand, tilting his head with her attempts at avoiding his questioning gaze. He huffed, sending her the lopsided smile that had her heart (and head) in a twist. “Success doesn't come easy, Riju,” he said, and the chieftain sighed, using her free hand to pull his away.

Urbosa would be disappointed, Riju thought, frowning as she glared at the sand ahead. Urbosa would be disappointed that her successor, her heir, couldn’t do it, couldn’t master that damned electric component Naboris just had to have. Urbosa would be disappointed that she’s such--

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sigh, and her head snapped in Sidon’s direction. 

“I won’t always have moments to talk you out of your misery, y'know," the prince said, and Riju frowned at him. This seemed to baffle the Zora because he began to rub his neck bashfully. "Oh, c'mon, Riju," he teased, nudging her shoulder. "I'm sure you know what I mean." When she didn't reply, his demeanor fell. 

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," Sidon said quickly, dismissing the subject before Riju could fully wrap her head around the implication. She wouldn't let it slip, though, grabbing his chin with her own hand and smirking at the shock that smeared his features.

"Spit it out, fish bait," she drawled, relishing in how quickly the prince became flustered. "If it's important to you, I should know, especially since you thought I knew already," Riju said smartly, missing the way Sidon stiffened, too busy lost in her light teasing to realize the weight of the situation.

Sidon swallowed. Riju raised an eyebrow.

The prince glanced across the plains again, trying and failing to turn his head in Riju's grasp. When his eyes met hers, he sighed, resting his hand on the one that held his arm as he wiggled his face out of her grip. Riju let him go, flushing at the disappointment that ripped through her.

"I don't know how else to say it," he began, pulling his legs into a lotus position. "It never really bothered me before, for I never had too many friends that weren't Zoras themselves. I soon learned, however, that not all the species in Hyrule were the same, each with their own quirks and bodily compositions that made every individual soul unique."

He looked down at her, smiling thoughtfully. Riju tried not to focus on the sight of his face lighting up when he did so, chest burning with the realization of something absolutely  _ dire. _

"When I was young, a friend of mine was lost to the river. We searched and searched for her, but alas, our efforts were in vain." He laughed softly, shaking his head as if he was remembering something. "It was a Hylian couple that returned her to our home, smiling at the child that had graced their presence for the last few days. They were not the first Hylians I met, but the first whose deaths truly affected me. For I was but the size of a Gerudo thirteen year old when they passed, but my body," he chuckled, and Riju frowned. "Oh, Riju, my body was that of a thirty year old man."

Riju's brows furrowed as her gaze fell to the hand that rested on hers, face pinched in thought as she mumbled. "Sidon, I'm afraid I don't understand," she said, looking up at him in confusion.

The prince chuckled bitterly, meeting her gaze sadly. 

"I am going to outlive you, Riju." He said curtly, wincing at his tone and the widening of her eyes. "I don't know how else to tell you that you won't live long enough for me to talk you out of all your dark thoughts, for us to go on all the adventures we have planned, for you to see me crowned king, for me--"

"I get it, Sidon!" Riju yelled, recoiling from him as shame and embarrassment flooded her frame. "I get it, I understand."

Sidon nodded, expression hard when the chieftain looked at him. In truth, Riju  _ did _ know about the lifespans of the Zora. She did know that they were the longest lived species in Hyrule, for King Dorephan was centuries old. She sighed, pulling her knees to her chest. Sidon was a good one hundred years older than her, and yet… ignoring the truth was so much simpler. 

She didn't have to think about what would happen in the future. Staying in the present was the best thing they could do for each other. Riju couldn't imagine not being here with Sidon, let alone leaving him without her.

The chieftain groaned and Sidon turned to her, hands clasped in his lap as he leaned down slightly.

"Riju, I--"

"No." She said quickly, raising a hand to cut him off. "I don't want to hear what you have to say."

The chieftain didn't have to look at him to know he was hurt; she basically felt it from her place beside him. She shook her head, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"I don't think I like thinking about that part of you," she admitted. "I don't like thinking about the part of you that will live on without me." Riju snorted, smiling up at him. "I mean, look at you! You haven't changed a bit since I visited the Domain two years ago. And even so, think of before that! I bet you've looked the same for the past twenty years," she exclaimed, and Sidon returned her smile, albeit a bit more guarded.

"I rather spend my time with you now, no worries about later in life," she said, frowning. "If you have to watch me grow old, so be it, I just--"

She paused, bringing a hand to rest on her rapidly beating heart as she thought of the next thing to say. Riju relaxed her legs, dropping them into a crossed position as she took Sidon's hand with her free one.

"--want to forget about that for a little bit," she said finally, and Sidon smiled, reaching over to ruffle her hair.

"Of course, Riju," he said happily, "I wouldn't want to bring you unnecessary stress. Besides, forever is so far away, isn't it?"

Riju scoffed and Sidon laughed, squeezing her hand before letting go. She allowed it this time, grabbing his arm when he stretched over to point out Gerudo Town in the distance. 

The chieftain realized here, that Sidon  _ was _ right. He won't always be here with her, and she with him. One day she'll have to let him go and as much as that terrified her, it was the truth. She pulled herself closer then, using both hands as an anchor. No matter what these feelings were, they had to be removed. Sidon wouldn't have time for that, no, and neither would she.

Still, her heart did that little beat skip thingy when he smiled down at her, tightening her chest almost painfully.

Whatever it was, it needed to be diminished.

This isn't good. Not good at all.

**FIN**

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! Stay safe! Much love <3


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